Lowered Expectations

Singer-songwriter John Gorka opens his song, "I'm From New Jersey," with the line, "I'm from New Jersey, I don't expect too much." I first heard the song in 1991 and was offended; New Jerseyans back then expected a lot.

16 years later, I've come to believe that Gorka was on to something. Americans don't seem to expect much. New Jerseyans expect even less.

The culprits aren't Garden State residents or Americans at large, it's some of the people we have collectively chosen as our political leaders - like Bill Clinton, the George W. Bush and Jim McGreevey -- the Moe, Larry and Curly of ethics, policy and integrity.

At the national level, President Bush has brought us to a point where we ache for a leader who has a clear direction, purpose and vision, and the brains and advisors around him to realize that vision.

President Clinton, before him, practiced such reckless and reprehensible personal and ethical behavior that Americans were thrilled to elect anyone who we thought certain wouldn't be renting out the Lincoln Bedroom or having sex with the interns in the Oval Office.

The recent commutation of Lewis "Scooter" Libby's sentence, which couldn't help but remind us of President Clinton's cornucopia of "pardons for contributions" as he left office, make us want a president who is committed to the rule of law. It's been a long time for that one.

While our current and former presidents have done a remarkable job at lowering America's expectations, they are pikers compared to what Jim McGreevey did to New Jersey's expectations.

On a personal level, the guy was a train wreck. He was so compromised and conflicted that he pretty much turned the reins of government over to a cabal of corrupt personal advisors. Two of those advisors were sent to federal prison while others are the targets of state and federal investigations. Some have already been indicted.

The McGreevey administration, in less than a full four year term, is universally regarded as the most corrupt administration to have ever served in New Jersey...now that's saying something.

Inept, unethical and misguided leaders lower our expectations to the point where the next leader can't help but look good.

Instead of rejoicing over leaders who have brains in their heads, spouses (their own) in their beds and their eyes on the ball, we should be expecting, and demanding, more.

Just being better than the last guy is an unacceptably low bar. We need to raise that bar or Gorka's opening line should be changed to, "I'm from New Jersey, I don't deserve too much."